Fitful aggression is certainly not the lasting image of Billups in the minds of Pistons' fans yet the article points out that he is averaging 6.1 free-throw attempts a game this year, most since the 06-07 year when he averaged 6.2.

Although the numbers don't lie (just like ball don't lie), the perception still is that Billups breaks down late in seasons and specifically deep into the playoffs, ultimately costing his team a chance at the finals.

In a single off-season, the Nuggets addressed Billups' weaknesses - his inability to stay in front of smaller, quicker point guards in the league. Something Joe Dumars was unable to do in five plus years with Billups.

From 2003-2009, Dumars drafted exactly one point guard (Will Blalock) while remaining excessively loyal to Lindsey Hunter and his declining skills.

Lawson is averaging 10.3 points/3.2 assists/1.1 TOs (!!!) on 52 percent from field, 50 percent from three, 94.1 percent from the free throw line (!!!) in 21 minutes through the first ten games of the season.

That's unreal. Come playoff time, not only will Billups have played less minutes during the season but won't have to bother with the smaller guards because of Lawson. Dumars does not get enough discredit for the moves he did not make to address the teams' needs during its peak years.

For whatever reason, the media gives him a free pass for not only his blunders but inaction when the team was so close to winning multiple championships in a crappy Eastern Conference.

Checking in with Sheed

AP PhotoRasheed Wallace is jacking up more threes in fewer minutes this year.

Sheed is letting it rain in Bahstan and that's alright with everybody.

"It’s in the context of the offense, but I tell him and Eddie [House] every time they’re open to shoot it. Don’t hesitate. I’ll be the guy that will pull them back. Early on last night you could see Rasheed pass up a couple to get to the second option, which is something we want him to do. But we want him looking for it. We don’t want him thinking about shooting [too much.]"

Sounds like Doc has embraced the idea of Sheed playing between the three-point lines and won't try to combat it like Pistons' fans did for so many years.

The most attempts Sheed had with the Pistons was in 2005-06 when he averaged 5.4 a game (at clip of 35.7 percent) for a total of 434 a year but that came while averaging 34 minutes a night as a starter.

No wonder he's so happy in Boston, he's finally been unleashed to do whatever he wants without criticism or restraint (not that he had much in Detroit either). All will be well as long as Doc doesn't ask him to play zone on defense. Then he will really lose it.